“Okay.”
“You ready for it?”
“Am I ready for the game?” I confirmed. Playing was easy. I’d done it so many times, pulling on my uniform and cleats was as natural as breathing for me. It was all the other stuff that was making this one different.
“Retirement?” Hunter confirmed.
“I guess so,” I lied. I hadn’t told anyone how much I was freaking out right now, but I had a sinking feeling come Monday, it would be even harder.
“Everyone will be there for you. I’m sure it’ll be a great afternoon.”
“Geez, Hunter. You make it sound like a death sentence,” I told him, trying to lighten the mood.
“Isn’t it?”
Chapter Thirty – Elise
I was running around like a chicken with my head cut off. I could hardly believe this was my idea. I must’ve been high or drunk or delirious or something. I was blaming Luca. It was all his fault. Thanks to him and his stupid talented tongue and fabulous fingers, he’d scrambled my brain. Now I was twenty minutes away from the two most important people in my world showing up on my doorstep for a dinner I hadn’t even started to cook. Or order. Let’s face it, there was no way I was ever going to pretend to cook.
I’d changed the sheets and stuffed the mountain of dirty laundry into the hamper. I was wiping down the bathroom counters while my mind was whirling. Since he’d dropped me home on Monday afternoon, I hadn’t had another chance to see Luca. Life had been getting in the way, and if I was being honest, it was really starting to piss me off. Talking to him on the phone and exchanging texts wasn’t nearly enough. I wanted more. Ineededmore.
“I think it’s clean, don’t you?”
Spinning around, my foot caught on the bathmat, and I skidded across the floor before falling back against the bathtub. Reaching out, I tried to break my fall but managed to smash my elbow on the corner of the tub. It instantly throbbed like a motherfucker.
“Ow,” I cried, cradling my hurt arm as tears filled my eyes.
“Shit, Elise. Are you okay?” Jax asked as he moved towards me.
“No. It really hurts,” I whimpered pathetically.
If you’ve ever hit your funny bone, you know just how painful it is. It rattled every bone in my arm, and moving it was so painful I had to use my other hand to see if everything was where it should be.
“Come on, sweetie. Let’s get you up off the floor.” Carefully, Jax helped me up and led me through the apartment before depositing me on the couch. When I went to stand, he nudged me until I fell backwards and into the cushions. “Let me up. I’ve got shit to do. And you’re early. Why are you early anyway? You’re never early.”
“I’m always early,” he countered, and I just rolled my eyes. “Fine, I’m occasionally early. Now, what do you need to do that’s so important?”
“Are you freaking kidding me? I need to finish cleaning up and get changed. I have to order dinner…”
“I bought dinner,” Luca announced, breezing through the door.
Of course he did. And of course, he too was early. Why couldn’t they respect start times? There was still ten minutes before either of them were supposed to be here.
“How’d you even get in?” I asked, my eyes darting between them.
“The door was unlocked?” Luca offered.
“I used my key.”
“Of course you did.”
“Oh, stop being a drama queen. How’s your arm?” Jax asked.
Even though it was still aching, there was no point admitting it. They’d both just start fussing and then I’d have a headache to go with the pain in the arses they’d both turned into.
“Fine.”
“Arm? What’s happened to your arm?” Luca was dumping the bags on the table before coming towards me.
